Air Malta has brought in an experienced aviation professional hailing from the now defunct Alitalia, Antonella Zirilli, to be its next Head of Digital Commerce and Distribution.

She takes over the Head of Digital Commerce role from Antoine Vella who moved on from the national flag carrier after 10 years in June 2022.

Antonella Zirilli / LinkedIn Photo 

Ms Zirilli joins Air Malta during a difficult period. Since January, it has been shedding workers in an attempt to cut costs and remain financially viable by transferring such workers to the public service in a bid to save around €15 million annually.

Malta’s Government has been in talks with the EU Commission to authorise state aid for several months.

Ms Zirilli’s new role will see her partly focused on the commercial digitalisation strategy for Air Malta. She is a stalwart of the now defunct Italian flag carrier Alitalia, where she worked for close to 13 years.

Alitalia officially ended operations on 15th October 2021 after 75 years in business. For the last five years of its operations, Ms Zirilli was engaged in Revenue Management Systems, and as a Revenue Management Specialist, which experience will surely prove to be invaluable for Air Malta.

The certainty of Air Malta’s future remains to be seen, however, with Finance Minister Clyde Caruana last month refusing to rule out the possibility that Air Malta could be replaced by another flag carrier, while also insisting that the airline’s restructuring programme is on track.